The Source

A digital magazine focused on education thought leadership.
Read the Latest Issue

Topic: Measuring Success

Leadership for Change: Leveraging Small Wins to Move a District Forward

Leadership for Change: Leveraging Small Wins to Move a District Forward

New Profit, a national venture philanthropy firm dedicated to identifying and scaling the most effective models for change in the social sector, recently documented an educational intervention in Massachusetts that we believe fits Weick’s insight to a tee. In 2011, Lawrence Public Schools (LPS) in Massachusetts became the first school... Read the full article >
Measuring Student Engagement with eProve surveys

Measuring Student Engagement with eProve surveys

Research has shown a strong relationship between student engagement and a variety of student success outcomes (e.g., Fredricks et al.,2004; Parsons et al., 2013). For example, Finn and Rock (1997) found that low-income minority students who were observed as engaged, were more likely to be academically successful, achieve passing grades,... Read the full article >
Helping All Students Succeed: A Plan to Narrow the Achievement Gap in STEM Education

Helping All Students Succeed: A Plan to Narrow the Achievement Gap in STEM Education

If we are purposeful and intentional in our actions, we can begin to narrow the achievement gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) classrooms. The study, “Effective, Sustained Inquiry-Based Instruction Promotes Higher Science Proficiency Among All Groups” published in the Journal of Science Teacher Education, showed that proficiency rates... Read the full article >
AdvancED Launches STEM Certification Pilot

AdvancED Launches STEM Certification Pilot

Imagine this as a typical day in an elementary, middle or high school: Elementary students working in collaborative groups to design rollercoasters with simple, everyday materials to learn about force and motion. High school and middle school teachers facilitating student-led discussions and asking questions to stimulate creative problem solving for... Read the full article >
CEO Message: Measuring Knowledge, Skills and Experiences

CEO Message: Measuring Knowledge, Skills and Experiences

Today’s system of education is time-based, where the measures of success are what knowledge students possess within stated timeframes as determined by large-scale assessments that promote uniformity and standardization. What really constitutes success, and how can and should we recognize success in learning? Delivering content through whatever means (e.g. traditional,... Read the full article >
Promoting and Supporting a Data-to-Action, Results-Oriented Culture within Durham Public Schools

Promoting and Supporting a Data-to-Action, Results-Oriented Culture within Durham Public Schools

Setting the Stage The beginning of the 2011-12 school year was a time of transition within the Research and Accountability (R and A) Department for Durham Public Schools (DPS) in Durham, NC. R and A entered the 2011-12 school year with a new department leader, two vacant data analyst positions,... Read the full article >
Suggested Reading

Suggested Reading

Transforming Education: Delivering on our Promise to Every Child The Council of Chief State School Officers It is imperative that we transform the national education agenda so that each and every child may succeed. This paper identifies four areas of focus that will lead the systems change necessary for a... Read the full article >
A Student's Perspective

A Student's Perspective

If you walked into a traditional high school today and asked 100 students if they liked school, I would guess that very few of them would say, yes. Maybe some of you have heard these comments, “Why do we have to learn about this? I am never going to use... Read the full article >
Student Learning is our Work

Student Learning is our Work

For some time now, school leaders have come under fire to demonstrate greater accountability for the learning of all students. While there are pockets of educational excellence that exist, the preponderance of public schools are considered underperforming and that is unacceptable. Who is accountable for student learning? The Meaning of... Read the full article >
Strengthening Teacher Evaluation in the Age of Accountability

Strengthening Teacher Evaluation in the Age of Accountability

Teacher accountability in the United States is in a period of transformation. In July 2012, the 26th state received an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Flexibility Waiver, marking relief for more than half of the states from many of the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. In exchange,... Read the full article >